Cyclospora outbreak in Toronto, Ontario

Cyclosporiasis - Canada (Ontario)
May 6, 2005
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org

A cluster of 40 cases of cyclosporiasis (14 confirmed, 27 suspected) has been detected among a group of 63 persons (55 students and 8 teachers/chaperones) who attended a school retreat West of Toronto.

Epidemiologic analysis has revealed a significant association with a pasta salad dish which contained fresh basil. The source of the basil has not been confirmed, but is believed to have originated in a Latin American country.

Toronto Public Health continues to investigate the source of the outbreak in cooperation with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Health Canada, and the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Effie Gournis
Manager, Communicable Surveillance Unit
Toronto Public Health
277 Victoria St., 10th Floor
Toronto, ON M5B1W2
1-416-338-7926
1-416-392-0047
EGOURNI@TORONTO.CA

[We thank Effie Gournis for this official report. Outbreaks of cyclosporiasis occur regularly in Canada and the U.S., and ProMED has carried more reports from North America than from Europe (U.K. and Germany). Cyclosporiasis is probably imported frequently with lettuce and berries, and the review we published in 1997 (Cyclosporiasis review 19970930.2072) estimated 1600-1700 cases in the U.S. and Canada annually. - Mod.EP]